Bullpen FAIL: Twins 13, Phillies 10

I need a Halladay complete game— they are usually fun and good for my blood pressure (unlike the bullpen). However, I do not feel good about the prospects for one— Halladay is 0-2 (both really bad performances) against te AL this year. He is also 0-1 with a no decision in games where he pitched any part of the game to a catcher other than Ruiz— granted both of those times involved Hoover, but he has not pitched to Schneider in a game this year.

There are some stats to countery nerves, though— Halladay is 8-1 with a 2.90 ERA in 13 games, 11 of them starts v. The Twins. He also has followed his last three bad starts (San Francisco, Colorado, and Boston) with gems (complete game shutout v. The Mets, 1 Earned Run complete game v. The Pirates, and the Perfect game v. The Marlins respectively), so there is some hope. But I am going to keep my toes crossed that the hitting sticks around, and Halladay receives some well deserved run support to gonwith a great pitching day.

Also missed in today’s depression (something I caught in the box score after)… For the second day in the row, one of our slumping hitters missed hitting for the cycle by one hit— Chase needed a homer to hit for the cycle today. I wonder what the statistics are on a set of teammates each coming one hit short of the cycle on consecutive days are… Probably a weird stat that interests only me.

He appears to be better than Herndon, although they’re really pretty close to being tied for 2nd most worst. Bastardo, though, is the bottom of the barrel, I think.

Yeah, but considering they played the Royals, I was more shocked by the fact that they needed a walkoff to win than the fact that they won.

Many members of the pitching staff seem to be going through dead-armness right now, which happens to every team every year. They’ve probably been using Contreras too much, and we have to keep in mind that Lidge is likely still not at 100 %. He didn’t look great last night, and he obviously wasn’t so hot today, but at least he retired the side and kept the game tied.

As for bullpen help, yes please. Happ and Madson will hopefully be back sooner than later, but I’ve had enough of Danys Baez. Seriously. I’m getting nostalgic for Clay Condrey over here.

While I agree with the need to hold runners on, the fact ofthe matter is that even if he would have held the runner, two runs still would have scored on Mauer’s homerun, so just for today, that really did not lose it for them. That being said, Lidge is really making me eat the fact that I defended him on Friday morning to a co-worker of mine… I told him that Lidge had been looking and pitching better… He was back to his semi-normal, life on the edge, agita inducing self, instead of the pitcher last year who made me close my eyes, hold my head in my hands and pray for k’s (and for the outfielders’ ability to jump and catch things that should have went out).

not legally, that I’m aware of. If he’s driving alone, however, I’d recommend finding a free or cheaper spot somewhere along the Broad Street Line. Two tokens < $15 fee. You do hit the breakeven with two other passengers.

I guess we should be glad that the Phillies were on top this time— I would be even more upset if that graph were smiling at me! (Assuming we still lost…)

:)